Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23

on his lips
John hunted right and left: he f,iud
con-pravcd God that it was sovcrl .n--
drew it out, bchcld half penny, aud offered
it to the PORTER.
The mans jaw dropped.
"It's only half penny" he said. Startled
out of railway dccrncy.
81 know that said John, uitpou,lv
And here the porter recovered tine ~ nifty
of man.
Thank you, sir, sad he, and wou' have
returned the base gratuity; but john too,
would none Of it, and as they struggled who
must join in but the cabmans
"Hoots. Mr.. Baigrcy," said he. "you surely
forget what day it isl'
81 tell YOU have no change cried John.
"Wcll, said the driver, land what then1
would rather give a man sLillin' on a day
like this than put him Off with dcrsion like
bawbee. I'm surprised Mt the like If you,
Mr.. Baigrcym
Ny name is not Baigrey" broke out John,
in mere childish temper and distress.
"Gc told me it was yourself, said the cab
man
Il know l did; and what the devil right
had you to ask cried the unhappy one.
"Oh, very well, said the driver. Il know
my place if you know yours-if YOU know
yours" he repeated, as one who should imply
grave doubt; and muttcrc naiticulate thun-
deiS, in which the grand old name of gentle
man was taken seemingly in vain.
Oh, to have been able to discharge this
monster, whom John now perceived. with
tardy clear slghtednesS, to have begun be-
times the festivities of Christmas But far
from any such ray Of consolation visiting the
lost, he stood bare of help and helpers his
portnanteau sequestorcd in one place, his
money deserted in another and guarded by a
corpse; himself, SO seduouS Of privacy. tho
exposure of all mems eyes about the stl+:On:
and, as ii these were not enough mischaaces,
b" was now fallen in i'll blood with the beast
10 whom his poverty had linked him, In i'll
blood as he reflected Gi-InIlv. with the wit
ness who perhaps might hang or save him!
Chere was no time TO be lost he burst not
linger any longer i'll that public spot. and
whether he had recourse to dignity or ID con-
citation, the remedy must be applied at once.
Some happily surviving element of manhood
moved him to the former
Let us have no more Of this. e." said hn his
foot once more upon the step. SEQ back to
where we came from"
He had avoided the name of any la5tina.
ton, Tor there was now quite a little band of
railway folk about the cab and he still kept
an eye upon the court of Justice, and llbored
toavoid concentriC evidence. But hero again
the fatal iarvey outnaneuvered him.
Back to the Judge" cried he. in ,hriu
tones of protest
Drive on at once" roared John, and
slammed the door behind him, so that the
crazy chariot rocked als iingled.
Forth trundled the cab into the Christmas
streets, the fare within plunged in the black
ness of a despair that neighbored IN un-
consciousness. the driver on the box di,estin,
his rebuke and his customers dunliei+v-
wouldnot be thought to mt the pair in CONNIE.
tition. Johns case wa, out of all narolIoI
But the cabnan. too. is worth tbe syrpnatbv
of the iudicious; for he was a fellow OF gen
uine kindliness and a hi.rh sense of personal
dignity inccnsed hy drink. and his advances
had been cl,uellv and 1rhlicly robufTeJ A
he drove, therefore, he counted his wronrs.
and thiIstcd for sympathy and drink Now.
it chanred he had friend. publican, in
(ureusforry street. from whom. in view Of
u.,e sacrcdness of the occasion. he thou.ht he
might extract IA dram Queensferrv street
lies something Off the direct road to NyIrav-
field. But then there is the hillv eros, road
that passes bv the valley of the eth and the
Dean cemetery: and Queensferlv rect is on
the way to that What was to hinder the
cabman since Iii, horse was dumb from
choosing the cross road. and calling On his
friend in passing. so it was decided. and
The ChaIioteer already somewhat mnllitieu.
turned aside his horse to the right.
John, meanwhile, sat collapsed. IN, chin
sunk upon his breast. his nina in ah.vlnce.
The smell of the cab was stiil family present
to his senses. and a certain Ioadcn chill ,bout
his feet; all else had di,app.are,l in o,.,..i,,
oppression of calamity and physical faint
NO. u.,s dra ,rf,o. az, g., 49,, 4,,-.. .,,,.1